The present invention concerns a delivery system for autonomous capsules used in internal imaging of the gastrointestinal tract.
Endoscopic inspection is a common practice in the medical diagnosis of gastro-intestinal (G.I.) diseases. According to such a method, the video camera used for identifying observable irregularities of the internal lining of the G.I. tract is installed within an endoscope, with progressive scenes observed by pushing the endoscope inside the tract. The endoscope is a tubular device typically containing an image collecting device, a light source and optionally a remotely controlled mechanical appliance for sampling tissue and for manipulating the endoscope tip. A device such as the tissue sampler, which is a claw-like utility for picking out tissue parts for purposes such as biopsies, is generally manipulated by a cable or a rod. For that purpose, endoscopes often comprises a bore for housing such longitudinal mechanical power drivers.
Because the movement of the endoscope head along the G.I. tract is brought about by a pushing action, there are affects associated with the application of force which become especially adverse as bends in the G.I. tract impede the movement of the endoscope. The G.I. tract walls at the bends become susceptible to perforation, making the internal in vivo application of probes, notably endoscopes, limited in use to non-convoluted regions of the G.I. tract.
An in-vivo autonomous capsule, such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,531, moves along the G.I. tract by virtue of the natural squeezing action of the tract""s walls, thus overcoming the risk associated with the pushing. Another advantage arising from the employment of such an autonomous device, is that it offers a much more convenient method of administering a sensor to the G.I. tract, overcoming the cumbersome aspects of connecting the intestines of the patient to external appliances. Thus, data signals, typically electronic, of the gastro-intestinal tract are obtained without physical connections being made to an energy source or a physical information download link. Autonomous capsules are potentially convenient and useful tools for acquiring information of the inner lining of the G.I. tract, being especially beneficial for searching the small intestines which are highly convoluted. Other autonomous capsule types are used in medicine, such as pH measuring, motility measuring, pressure measuring, and those used for internal administration of medicaments.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device and method for inserting an autonomous capsule in the G.I. tract, in a manner that the capsule begins its autonomous journey in the small intestines, while obviating the need to travel along the upper part of the G.I. tract.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a device is provided for delivering autonomous capsules into the G.I. tract. Such a device includes an endoscope having a longitudinal axis and a clamp for releasably holding the capsule whereby its longitudinal axis lies along the same axis as the longitudinal axis of the endoscope. The clamp is held in the front of the endoscope by at least one support. A forward looking imaging unit is also situated at the front end of the endoscope,
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the clamp is ring shaped such that its inner radius holds the capsule tightly.
In an alternative embodiment, the clamp is a tissue sampler.
Additionally, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for inserting an autonomous capsule into the G.I. tract using an endoscope. The endoscope has a clamp and at least one retractable support for retaining the clamp. The method includes the steps of:
engaging the capsule with the clamp;
pushing the capsule to its desired position within the G.I. tract; and
disengaging the capsule by loosening the hold of the clamp on the capsule.